Any with Wrasse Dominated tanks?

[clownfish06]

I am setting up my 75 gallon and was thinking about maybe having a tank with most of the stock being wrasses. I was wanting to know if anyone else has a tank like this and if so how it is working with several species of wrasses occupying the same tank? Also do you stick with just one of each type of wrasse to keep from having a female turn to a male and end of with two males of same species or do you keep pairs? Do the males keep there vibrant color if single males occupy tank with no females to display for in the tank? Any info would be much appreciated.

 

[albano]

I have about 40 wrasses in my DT ... Mostly fairies, but some flashers, leopards, and others. What type do you want to keep? most are going to turn male sooner or later... With fairy wrasses, it would be cheaper to buy juvi/females and let them change to (more expensive) males.

 

[mrx66699]

I have a wrasee dominated 540 ....7 african leopards.. 2 black leopards. 1 potters leopard..2 ornate leopards..2 yellow tail tamerin..5 red tail tamerin..5 blue spot tamerin..1 teminickie ..2 very lg adult red coris..flame wrasse pair..1 radiant.....1 mckoskers..1 lubbocks..1 mystery..and I'm sure I have forgotten 1 or 2...dies that qualify fir wrasse dominated....colors change drastically fir some as adults...others stay the same and yea some will change to male but only one will unless you get two that are already in the process of changing...you can see some of them here ...

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[clownfish06]

I have been looking at the reef safe wrasses on livequaria to get an idea of a stock list. I really like the McCosker's, Carpenter's and Fairy but honestly like most of them as the colors they have really seem to pop. I am going to stay away from the leopards since this is my first salt tank and I see where most of them you need experience to keep. I will have a 75 DT and a 75 sump but 1/3 of the sump will be sectioned off for top off water and rest will be intake, fuge and return. I just wonder how many I could keep in a 75 gallon and would it make much if any difference if I had a 90 DT vs 75 DT.

 

[Deinonych]

I have a wrasee dominated 540 ....7 african leopards.. 2 black leopards. 1 potters leopard..2 ornate leopards..2 yellow tail tamerin..5 red tail tamerin..5 blue spot tamerin..1 teminickie ..2 very lg adult red coris..flame wrasse pair..1 radiant.....1 mckoskers..1 lubbocks..1 mystery..and I'm sure I have forgotten 1 or 2...dies that qualify fir wrasse dominated....colors change drastically fir some as adults...others stay the same and yea some will change to male but only one will unless you get two that are already in the process of changing...you can see some of them here

Beautiful tank.

 

[mrx66699]

Beautiful tank.

thank you

I am setting up my 75 gallon and was thinking about maybe having a tank with most of the stock being wrasses. .

go with the wrasse tank and you wont be disapointed ....also dont be afraid to work with some leopards it just takes lots of patients and dedication to meeting their needs .....by far my favorite

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[clownfish06]

Is it just having to feed multiple times a day or actually getting them to eat that is the problem? I have been reading up on growing pods for live food and am thinking about having a 10 gal tank dedicated to pods to feed to the DT tank and also in the fuge.

 

[mrx66699]

Feeding will be the initial issue to deal with as your tank matures ....feed small amounts (mysis, brine, blood worms, live black worms, pods, shredded krill, cyclopeze, and a quality pellet eventually) multiple times per day... we are talking 5-6 times per day... which is easy to do, just schedule your photo period to happen while you are home so you can attend to them....I alternate between the different kinds through out the evenings....

 

[clownfish06]

Photo period? So whether you have one or eight you need to feed 5-6 times per day. Do you judge amount to feed by how quick it is eaten? If I had the pods and live black worms do you think the rest of the feedings could be frozen food and flakes? Thanks for the info, I really appreciate the answers.

 

[mrx66699]

photo period ...your daylight hours just adjust their day to your hours when you are home, they have no idea if 4pm is 8am they will adjust....feeding multiple times per day will be needed as your tank is not mature enough to provide for them on its own and you will have to supplement that with your frozen and fresh feedings....as your tank matures they will start to substitute some of your manual feedings with natural hunting and feeding from the established reef ....I do feed a combination also of the flakes and pellets but the wrasses hardly ever touch the flakes but in time do quite well eating some of the pellets....mostly my bandit and a few tangs kill the flakes .....the wrasses will predominantly feed on the frozen with some pellet

 

[clownfish06]

Ok. I am going to take it extremely slow with adding fish and corals etc. I just want to make sure I am patient and not rush into a mess. Lol. Feeding will not be a problem just trying to learn before I jump into it. Thanks again for the info.

 

[Ralph ATL]

I have a wrasee dominated 540 ....7 african leopards.. 2 black leopards. 1 potters leopard..2 ornate leopards..2 yellow tail tamerin..5 red tail tamerin..5 blue spot tamerin..1 teminickie ..2 very lg adult red coris..flame wrasse pair..1 radiant.....1 mckoskers..1 lubbocks..1 mystery..and I'm sure I have forgotten 1 or 2...dies that qualify fir wrasse dominated....colors change drastically fir some as adults...others stay the same and yea some will change to male but only one will unless you get two that are already in the process of changing...you can see some of them here ...

>

awesome collection!

 

[CedzAquAddictio]

MRX66699: What a stunning collection!!!

 

[clownfish06]

Do all wrasse diets consist of strictly pods or do they take other food well?

 

[Marshall O]

Do all wrasse diets consist of strictly pods or do they take other food well?

Only a few genera readily consume pods, mainly Anampses, Halichoeres, Macropharyngodon, Pseudocheilinus, & Wetmorella are a few that come to mind. Anampses & Macropharyngodon are the most difficult to wean onto prepared foods, and to get acclimated period. The others mentioned readily accept prepared foods, but will still hunt all day long.

Some you think would due to their smaller size, but do not hunt for pods include Cirrhilabrus & Paracheilinus.

 

[mrx66699]

Do all wrasse diets consist of strictly pods or do they take other food well?

All will slowly substitute into the frozen but as stated above hunt allllll day long ...well except for my potters leopard all he does is swim swim swim laps around the reef round and round playing in the current....he must do a thousand laps a day ...eating along the way and very seldom stopping ....

 

[clownfish06]

So if a 75 DT with a sump and fuge and 8-10 w rasses would probably not support a mandarin? Or if you supplemented pods from a tank used just for pods do you think it would be enough to support one?

 

[clownfish06]

I would still go with the w rasses if not but do like the mandarin as well, along with a pair of clowns.

 

[mrx66699]

until its mature I would hold off on the mandarin unless you can fill the needs of feeding with the pods but that will get old fast......

 

[clownfish06]

I was going to wait at least 9 months as recomended. Just wanting to know with mostly w rasses in tank would a mandarin even be possible.